Zirong Zheng: “We are a true bridge between China and the world”

After years of experience at Amuse Animation, Zirong Zheng launched Pear & Cat Media with a clear and ambitious vision — to serve as a genuine bridge between China and the world. Combining global perspective with local expertise, the company is strategically structured to handle both international partnerships and domestic distribution. Zheng shares insights into Pear & Cat’s key titles, and outlines the company’s roadmap toward 2026.

You’ve recently launched Pear & Cat Media after your experience at Amuse Animation. Could you tell us a bit about the vision and focus of this new venture?

"Pear & Cat Media was founded with the ambition to become a true bridge between China and the world. We see a clear gap in the market and aim to bring together the strengths of China’s animation studios and wider content industry, so Chinese stories can reach global audiences with a stronger collective presence. At the same time, we introduce distinctive, high-quality international IPs to China, fostering a genuine two-way exchange between markets. Our structure was built for this mission. We have a Hong Kong company that manages international rights and partnerships, and a fully domestic company in Mainland China with a content distribution license that allows us to operate locally. With a team based between China and France, we combine global perspective with local execution, which gives us both agility and cultural fluency. We believe clear and transparent communication is essential in this process, and it is an area where we truly add value by aligning expectations on both sides and making cross-border collaboration more seamless. We have built a strong distribution network across China and internationally. What drives us is finding the right balance between market relevance and long-term value, especially amid all the market noise today. We stay close to audience trends, but we also focus on IPs with real substance, properties that can engage audiences now, sometimes with the right local tweak, and continue to hold meaning over time."

What are the key titles or projects you are bringing to the international market this year?

"We are currently working with several of China’s most iconic animation titles, including but not limited to 'Go Go Dino', 'Team S.T.E.A.M.!', and 'Barry Tiger'. Each of these properties has surpassed 30 billion digital views in China and achieved remarkable success in consumer products. Our goal is to support their international expansion, starting with key launch markets such as North America and LATAM. We’ve already secured several distribution deals in these territories, which will be announced soon. In parallel, we are actively acquiring new anime titles for the global market, with several projects to be revealed shortly. At the same time, we are introducing select international IPs to China, identifying the right format, audience, and positioning for each property in the local market. We’re also building strong momentum through new discussions across Europe and wider Asia, where interest in Chinese animation and Asian storytelling is growing rapidly."

Looking ahead, what are your priorities and objectives for 2026 as you establish and grow your company?

"By 2026, we want Pear & Cat Media to be recognized as the go-to company for premium Chinese animation and beyond. We’re already expanding into other genres and formats because there is so much distinctive, high-quality content from China and wider Asia that deserves to be seen by global audiences. I also want us to be the trusted partner for international IPs looking to grow and develop in China. Moving forward, our ambition goes beyond representation. We also want to build our own global franchise, develop our branded channels, and forge strategic partnerships that create long-term value. Whether East or West, storytelling has always been about passing on values and memories that outlast us. China has strong production capabilities, distinctive stories, and a market that moves fast and rewards innovation. The challenge is shaping those stories so they resonate both at home and globally. We’re also seeing a clear shift in the global animation landscape. Audiences are becoming more open to diverse visual styles and storytelling voices from Asia - and we believe this is just the beginning. We know it’s a long journey, and we see it as a marathon, but that’s exactly the role we want to play. In the short term, our focus is on bringing strong Chinese stories to global audiences and introducing distinctive international IPs to China. In the long term, our goal is to build Chinese stories that can truly connect on a global level, drawing on our experience and networks across both markets."